Editing Test (section)

== Design Sketch 4 ==

'''Purpose'''  
Explore the lifecycle of Child Instruments and establish objective criteria for when a Child Instrument should become an independently calibrated conceptual instrument.

=== Child Instrument Lifecycle ===

<pre>
Parent Instrument
        │
        ▼
Operational Pressure
        │
        ▼
Need for Child Instrument
        │
        ▼
Child Instrument
        │
        ▼
Continuous Calibration
        │
        ▼
──────── Decision Point ────────
│                               │
│ Remains Aligned               │ Diverges
│                               │
▼                               ▼
Remain Child             Child Drift
                                 │
                                 ▼
                   Orphaning Drift Threshold
                                 │
                                 ▼
                 Calibration Recommendation
                                 │
                                 ▼
                   Standalone Promotion
</pre>

=== Child Drift ===

The progressive divergence of a Child Instrument from its Parent Instrument such that shared mechanisms, intended scope, traceability, or predictive capability are progressively reduced.

Child Drift does not necessarily indicate poor calibration.  
Rather, it may indicate that the Child Instrument has matured into a concept requiring independent calibration.

=== Orphaning Drift Threshold ===

The calibration criterion at which continued Parent–Child dependency increases conceptual uncertainty rather than reducing it.

Indicators may include:

* Loss of shared underlying mechanism
* Independent operational scope
* Distinct observable consequences
* Reduced predictive value from the Parent relationship
* Parent dependency becoming a source of ambiguity

When the Orphaning Drift Threshold has been met, continued classification as a Child Instrument no longer improves calibration.

=== Calibration Recommendation ===

Recommend [[Standalone Promotion]].

The former Child Instrument becomes an independently calibrated conceptual instrument.  
Historical traceability to the former Parent Instrument is preserved as calibration history but no longer defines operational dependency.

'''Observation'''  
Orphaning is not a label.  
It is the result of meeting an objective calibration criterion.  
The recommendation follows the evidence rather than opinion.

''Status: Working Design Sketch''

----